After hearing Yan Xing read out the IOU, Captain Donald immediately felt as if his fate was back in his own hands.

The Farsight Mercenary Corps had fled into the Temple, fully aware of what they would face.

The chances of life and death were fifty-fifty.

Everything depended on the Temple's interests.

But if they acknowledged this IOU…

It was tantamount to signing a thirty-year contract of servitude, but this contract would guarantee the lives of himself and his mercenary brothers with absolute certainty.

This was far better than waiting here for Grand Priest Lancelot to decide their fate.

Besides, Donald and the Eternal Domain held no grudge against each other. With Yan Xing's relationship with Count Theodore, securing the Farsight Mercenary Corps' safety was a simple matter of a word from him.

For Donald at that moment, siding with the Eternal Domain was merely a matter of switching protectors.

Donald weighed the pros and cons of acknowledging the IOU, observed Grand Priest Lancelot's reaction, and secretly prepared for a confrontation.

Yan Xing placed the IOU on the table. Everyone could see that the so-called IOU was actually a blank sheet of paper with not a single word on it.

It was this blank sheet of paper that made the negotiation so delicate.

To Yan Xing, Donald and his Farsight Mercenary Corps indeed held no grudge against him.

Even when the mercenaries had attacked the special envoy's residence, he had defeated them cleanly and decisively.

The special envoy's residence hadn't suffered significant damage.

Recruiting the Farsight Mercenary Corps was a decision Yan Xing had carefully considered during his journey.

Donald's desire to restore his family's honor was understandable. What was wrong with a fallen noble wanting to regain his title?

Aside from this determination, it had to be admitted that Donald was an exceptionally capable man.

Donald's ability to build the Farsight Mercenary Corps into the second-largest mercenary group in the Wildwind Highlands in such a short time, even with the Temple's backing, showcased his prowess.

During the rescue of the Elf Envoys, Yan Xing had personally witnessed the Farsight Mercenary Corps' organizational skills.

If it weren't for his 'cheat' from the real world, I wouldn't have been able to rescue Erelado from such a tight encirclement.

This naturally sparked Yan Xing's appreciation for such talent.

The Eternal Domain also needed a mercenary group directly under its command to undertake tasks unsuitable for its regular army or the Guild's Mercenaries.

Therefore, Yan Xing had decided to save Donald and the Farsight Mercenary Corps.

Convincing Count Theodore would be his responsibility; now it was up to Donald whether to accept this olive branch.

If he insisted on clinging to the Temple's coattails... No! Yan Xing believed a man with such a fervent pursuit of family honor knew how to choose.

Even if the Temple saved him for the sake of face, he would never be truly trusted again.

The scene fell into a protracted silence. Grand Priest Lancelot stared at the blank sheet on the table, almost angry enough to slam his hand on it and rise.

This was undoubtedly the gravest insult to me!

But I also knew that from the moment Yan Xing finished reading that "IOU," I had already lost.

No, from the moment I allowed Donald to come out, I had lost.

I had lost completely.

I was certain what a man like Donald would choose.

Donald did not disappoint everyone present. After careful consideration, he stepped out from the Temple's ranks and knelt on one knee before Yan Xing.

"I, Airemike Tangnade, am willing to fulfill the debt agreement with Lord Yan Xing and lead the Farsight Mercenary Corps in pledging allegiance to the Eternal Domain…"

"Get up." Yan Xing helped Donald to his feet. Then, he turned to Grand Priest Lancelot and said, "High Priest, please allow the other Farsight mercenaries praying inside the Temple to come out as well. Let's not disturb the gods' rest any longer. We shall come another day to listen to the divine teachings."

Donald readily followed Yan Xing. Grand Priest Lancelot had no excuse to detain him, nor the strength to do so.

Rather than continue to be humiliated here, it would be better to lift the siege around the Temple immediately and cut my losses.

Grand Priest Lancelot stood up and departed with a flick of his sleeves, saying nothing.

After a while, the elite core of the Farsight Mercenary Corps all walked out of the Temple.

They still didn't know what had transpired.

The Farsight Mercenaries numbered over a hundred, all of them hero-class units, and many among them were powerful heroes.

Were it not for these special circumstances, how could so many battle-hardened mercenaries have defected to me so easily?

Yan Xing was inwardly overjoyed, but he maintained a cool expression.

He said to Donald, "What's past is past. You are to immediately gather the dispersed Farsight mercenaries and order them to stop causing any more destruction. Have those you find register at my special envoy's residence, then send them all to clear the ruins and rescue civilians. Make amends for as much of the destruction and harm you've caused as possible. You must also reflect deeply on the crimes you've committed here. All of this has happened under the watchful eyes of the gods."

Yan Xing didn't know if the mercenaries would reflect on their actions; that last sentence wasn't meant for them anyway.

Grand Priest Lancelot had left, but the Temple Knights confronting the Guild's Mercenaries were still there.

Yan Xing glanced at these Temple Knights and said with a sneer, "Withdraw. We're going to save people."

Following Yan Xing's command, the Guild's Mercenaries methodically withdrew their defensive layers, eventually disappearing into the darkened city districts.

The Temple Knights gazed at the distant city.

Many fires still burned…

「Back at the special envoy's residence.」

Yan Xing, true to his word, mobilized all available personnel to clear the debris and rescue those trapped within.

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